MOSCOW. May 16 (Interfax) - The Russian military has destroyed a U.S.-made Patriot air defense system by striking Kiev with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"A precision-guided strike by a Kinzhal hypersonic missile system has hit a U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile system in the city of Kiev," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Official reports define Kinzhal as an air-launched precision-guided hypersonic aeroballistic missile carried by a MiG-31 upgraded long-range interceptor. According to the Russian military, it has a top range of 2,000 kilometers and penetrates any existent or prospective air and missile defense.
The Russian military has reported the use of the Kinzhal hypersonic system during the special military operation in Ukraine.
Patriot is a U.S. air defense missile system operated by the Armed Forces of the United States and some other countries. As reported, Ukraine was supplied with Patriot systems as part of Western military assistance.